Photos: 2009 Chevrolet Traverse

Chevrolet rolled out the Traverse at its press conference on February 6, 2008. A little large for a crossover, the Traverse is powered by a 3.6-liter V-6 engine. Chevrolet claims a range of more than 500 miles, achieved by having a 22-gallon gas tank.

Photo by: GM

The interior space of the Traverse is ample, with three rows of seating and cargo area of 26.1 cubic feet. The Traverse will come in front-wheel- and all-wheel-drive models.

Photo by: GM

As part of its attempt to compete better with imports, Chevrolet went for high interior quality in the Traverse. This picture shows nicely stitched leather seats, although the console looks similar to what we've seen on other GM cars. The big shifter controls a six-speed automatic. You can also see a tweeter mounted to the A-pillar.

Photo by: GM

Buttons on the right side of the steering wheel show audio controls and a phone button. The Traverse gets Bluetooth cell phone integration, the first indication that GM is adopting the technology on a wide scale. In the past, GM cars relied on OnStar for hands-free calling.

Photo by: GM

We've seen this navigation and stereo interface on previous GM cars, and we like the tabbed screen design. As a new feature for Chevrolet, this system features live traffic through XM satellite radio. The press release also mentions OnStar turn-by-turn directions, which seems superfluous when you have a navigation system.